Home Spa Treatments :: Beauty :: Skin Care

Home Spa Treatments
by author Sherina Jamal

Tranquility, total relaxation, peace and renewal-these are the essence of a true spa experience. But if you can’t get to a spa on a regular basis, why not create your own place of pampering in the comfort of home? With today’s hectic schedules, you can forget the importance of taking the time to take care of yourself internally and externally. However, putting aside anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour just once a week for self-pampering can help you rebalance, release stress and tension, prevent premature aging and so much more.

Indulging in the pleasures of your own home spa need not be complicated. Here are some tips and recipes to get you started.

Before beginning any home spa treatment, set up your bathroom or other room to promote relaxation. Make sure the room is warm (not too hot, not too cold). Dim the lights. Light an aromatherapy candle or a diffuser using selected oils that promote anti-stress and relaxation such as lavender, camomile, vanilla and sandalwood. Play soft, relaxing music. Turn off the television and telephones..

Spa Facial

A spa facial can be done using a combination of ready-made products or freshly made scrubs and masks.

Cleanse: clean the skin using a gentle lotion-based cleanser for normal-dry skin. For oily or acne-prone skin use a gel cleanser. Make sure the cleansers do not contain chemical lathering or foaming agents.

Exfoliate: if using a store-bought facial scrub, ensure that it is not too harsh or grainy. You can also make your own fresh facial scrub:

1 Tbsp (15 ml) oat flour or ground oatmeal
1 tsp (5 ml) brown rice flour
2-3 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

Mix together ingredients with a small amount of water to create a spreadable paste. To this you can add one teaspoon (five millilitres) of pure honey. Massage all over the face and neck with gentle massage strokes. Rinse off with warm water.

Facial Steam: this is an excellent way to rebalance and detoxify the skin. However, it’s not recommended for those with very sensitive skin or acne rosacea. Add boiling water to a large bowl with some dried herbs or essential oils that match your skin type. For example, camomile flowers are good for dry and sensitive skin types. Peppermint is good for normal and combination skin and skin prone to blackheads. Marigold and lavender are good for all skin types. Rosemary is good for combination, oily and acne-prone skin.

If adding dried herbs: add about one tablespoon (15 ml) to the bowl of water. If adding pure essential oils, four to five drops. Keep head a few inches from the bowl and place a towel over your head and the bowl. Steam the skin for about five minutes. (Note: when you are not following the steaming with a face mask, use a skin balancer or toner after steaming to close the pores.)

Facial Mask: a facial mask is beneficial for deep cleaning, hydrating, tightening and replenishing the skin. When looking for a ready-made facial mask, choose one that has been created with natural plant extracts, gentle grains and clays, and nourishing carrier oils such as apricot kernel, almond and jojoba.

You can also easily create your own fresh mask:

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Sherina Jamal is a contributing writer for several health magazines and the founder of Ancient Secrets, a company that produces natural skin and body care products.

Source: alive #233, March 2002

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